Blissfully Lively

Transformations have been super popular on social since the rise of the #transformationtuesday hashtag and fitness programs that thrive off before and after pictures. Because I have personally felt INCREDIBLY overwhelmed by the influx of program coaches contacting me & my need to always tell it like it is with you ladies I wanted to share my knowledge on this subject in hopes that it would inspire you to choose differently/wisely.

I am a huge believer in documenting your progress, and taking movement seriously, but I'm not sold on transformation photos, 30 day slim downs, etc. & let me tell you why.

2 reasons. 1 The photos are misleading because of many different editing tactics & 2 They're a poor representation of what well balanced programs will actually do for you. They make it seem like a magic genie will change the way your body looks in a months time.

Losing weight, or making the decision to live a healthy life is a lifestyle change that takes dedication, TIME, and intention!

It doesn't happen at the snap of your fingers and we need to flip the mindset to not be so phased by this. These transformation photos we're seeing are really just a marketing tactic used to lure people in to buying a specific workout program, drink, etc. but don't work for everyone, and are an illusion to make people think their body will look chiseled in a seriously short about of time. Just to show you guys how much of an illusion they are I put up my own before and after photo. Both of these photos were taken on the exact same day, 90 seconds from one another, one flexing and manipulating my body into the sunlight and the other pushing my stomach out and manipulating my pose to look "unfit". I wanted to share this with you to show you how photos can easily be doctored to show desired results. Photoshop, lighting, time of day the picture is taken, etc. can drastically change the photos for better or worse, social media is an interesting place PLEASE don't get sucked into the highlight reel.

Now lets get into the nitty gritty...The human body doesn't want to change. It fights the process of losing weight, & the process of gaining muscle {the body doesn't want to be pushed outside its comfort zone...it's cozy where it is which means CONSISTENT WORK over a long span of time is in order to create longterm change}. It's one thing to exercise to maintain your look and it's another to transform the way you look {that takes a significantly greater amount of work}.

My question to these large scale programs is...What do we do after your month long weight loss challenge? Have we really learned the tools in ONE MONTH to sustainably change our life? Have we taken a step back & looked at the end goal, the long term play rather than the short term outcome? Even if we lose weight in that month then what do we do after it's over?

Do we keep up with the perfectly portioned container eating & the expensive morning shakes? Do we purchase another program in hopes it will create change? Sadly but most often the answer is YES until we see the light of day, until we realize it isn't working. Why? because it isn't realistic or attainable just like the transformation photos themselves.

I'm always honest with you loves and I had to bring this to attention much more deeply than in a few quick Instagram stories, I had to give you examples & reference, to the incredibly hard spiral sooo many of us fall down.

Here's something I want you all to remember, Everyone's bodies are different which means everyones BEST bodies are different. Find out what best, healthiest, most fulfilled looks like for you & GO FOR THAT... get rid of the social accounts & salesy fitness program friends on FB & DO YOU. Eat real whole foods, move your body at least once per day, ALLOW YOURSELF TIME & most important of all put your head down and stick with it.